Even if you easily transferred chickenpox, it can come to you in the future.
What is chickenpox and where does it come from
Chickenpox (aka chickenpox) – this is an infectious disease. Calls her Varicella Zoster virus. By the way, a close relative of a familiar to many herpes.
All herpes are contagious, but varicellus is the coolest. The winding of the smallpox spreads by airborne droplets, and does it very actively. To catch the infection, sometimes it’s enough to look into the patient’s room for a second.
It always seemed to people that the sore was transferred literally through the air, the wind. Hence the first part of the name – windmill. It was called smallpox due to numerous rashes in the form of bubbles filled with liquid (papules) similar to those that are formed with natural obstetric.
Fortunately, chickenpox is not so deadly.
What is the danger of chickenpox for children and adults
First of all, flying. The contrast of varicens is so high that chickenpox was considered a purely childhood disease for a long time: the child practically had no chance to grow up without meeting with the infection. Fortunately, most people aged 1–12 tolerate chickenpox easily, and overgrown, acquire immunity for life.
But sometimes the disease can cause serious complications:
- Bacterial infection of the skin, soft tissues, bones, joints, up to blood poisoning. This happens if a child or an adult combs itching rashes and accidentally brings microbes to the wound.
- Dehydration. This dangerous state is associated with a high temperature, which is observed with chickenpox.
- Pneumonia.
- Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).
- Toxic shock syndrome.
But before being afraid of complications, it is worth making sure that it is about chickenpox.
What are the symptoms of chickenpox in children and adults
At the initial stage, it is almost impossible to recognize the disease. The chickenpox has a long incubation period: 2-3 weeks after infection, the virus does not make itself felt. Its first manifestations are similar to the flu:
- fever: temperature 38 ° C and above;
- headache;
- general malaise;
- aching muscles;
- loss of appetite;
- Sometimes nausea.
However, these symptoms are not required. Quite often small red dots immediately appear on the skin. At first they resemble mosquito bites, but for several hours they turn into bubbles filled with muddy liquid.
Mayoclinic.Org
The rash spreads throughout the body, sometimes capturing even the mucous membrane of the mouth and genitals.
In a day or two bubbles burst, their contents flow. Ospins dry and soon fall off, leaving no traces. But next to the disappeared there are new.
The rash lasts 4-8 days. All this time, a person remains contagious, although he feels good: the temperature and malaise pass for a maximum of the fourth day after the start of the active stage of the disease.
This happens with a light or normal flow of chickenpox. But there are other situations.
When to urgently consult a doctor or call an ambulance
Complications most often occur in those who are more or less than 1-12 years old, as well as in people with weakened immunity. To reduce the risks, you will need qualified medical care.
As soon as possible, consult a doctor if the sick:
- Never hurt a chickenpox and was not vaccinated from it;
- baby under the age of 1 year;
- pregnant woman;
- A child over 12 years old;
- has a diagnosis of cancer, HIV or AIDS;
- survived the transplantation of organs;
- Takes immunosuppressants or medicines based on steroids;
- suffers in fever for more than four days.
Call an ambulance immediately if:
- the temperature rises above 38.9 ° C and you cannot knock it down;
- Any areas of the skin under the rash become red and hot or it seems that under the skin of pus – this may indicate a bacterial infection;
- A person experiences difficulties in walking;
- It is difficult for him to turn his head: the neck seems wooden;
- there is frequent vomiting or severe abdominal pain;
- there is a strong cough or difficulty breathing;
- Bruises form under the rash (this is called hemorrhagic rash).
How to treat chickenpox
Chickenpox – virus. And, like most viruses, there is no specific treatment for it. Help of a sick person is reduced only to alleviating the main symptoms.
Fever and headache
Remember: paracetamol and nothing else! Popular painkillers and antipyretic products based on ibuprofen should not be taken. According to some reports, ibuprofen with chickenpox increases the frequency of complications in the form of skin infections.
Aspirin is completely contraindicated. In conjunction with Varicell-Zaster virus, it has a powerful toxic effect on the liver and brain (the so-called ray syndrome).
Itching
To relieve itching, the therapist can recommend an antihistamine to you. Given the insidiousness of the virus, in no case appoint it yourself!
You can also treat the skin with a skin with kalamin according to the instructions.
Scratches and wounds
In order not to scratch the skin and not bring infection into the wounds:
- Cut your nails as short as possible. If the baby is sick, put thin protective mittens on it.
- Wear clean free clothes.
- Change the underwear and bedding more of10.
It is not necessary to smear the rashes of the greenfish: the diamond green will not accelerate the ripening period of the bubbles. The color perhaps helps to mark pimples to track the moment when new.
Soreness in the mouth
If there are rashes on the oral mucosa, doctors recommend eating fruit ice cream without sugar. Cold will help relieve discomfort. Also try not to eat salty and spicy foods.
Possible complications
If the chickenpox may be dangerous to you, the doctor will prescribe medications to you that will help reduce the duration of the disease and reduce the risk of complications. This can be an antiviral agent, such as acyclovir, or immunoglobulin for intravenous administration. True, they will be effective only if you use them in the first 24 hours after the appearance of the rash.
If it comes to complications, serious means are used. Depending on which body has suffered, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics and more powerful antiviral drugs to you. Perhaps you have to go to the hospital.
How not to get chickenpox and not earn complications
A person becomes contagious 48 hours before the appearance of the rash and remains so, until all the bursting bubbles are covered with crust.
If contact with the sick thing happened, and you never hurt chickenpox, the only thing that theoretically can save you from infection is vaccination. Try to make it in the first 3-5 days after contact. Then the vaccine will have time to act and either prevent chickenpox, or make its current more easy.
It is worth vaccinating from chickenpox. And not only because the vaccination is tolerated by the body easier than a real disease. The case is the insidious property of Varcelell-Zaster virus.
If you once met with chickenpox, it will forever remain in your body, “hiding” in nerve cells. While the immunity is strong, the virus behaves decently. But with age or in stressful situations, when the body’s protective forces weaken, Varicell-Soster can again become active and cause extremely painful inflammation of some nerves. It is accompanied by rashes similar to chickenpox.
Since the nerve endings run perpendicular to the spine, the rash also takes the shape of horizontal stripes. This consequence of the meeting with chickenpox is called grunting herpes (lichen).
In addition to soreness, encircling lichen is fraught with numerous complications:
- prolonged postherpetic neuralgia, when severe constant pain continues in the place of the rash and after its disappearance;
- eye lesions with dangerous consequences for vision in general;
- paralysis of cranial and peripheral nerves;
- lesions of internal organs – pneumonia, hepatitis, meningoencephalitis ..
Blood vaccination can at the same time reduce the risk of girdle in more than 85%. And this is a good reason to think about vaccination.
What is chickenpox and where does it come from
Chickenpox (aka chickenpox) – this is an infectious disease. Calls her Varicella Zoster virus. By the way, a close relative of a familiar to many herpes.
All herpes are contagious, but varicellus is the coolest. The winding of the smallpox spreads by airborne droplets, and does it very actively. To catch the infection, sometimes it’s enough to look into the patient’s room for a second.
It always seemed to people that the sore was transferred literally through the air, the wind. Hence the first part of the name – windmill. It was called smallpox due to numerous rashes in the form of bubbles filled with liquid (papules) similar to those that are formed with natural obstetric.
Fortunately, chickenpox is not so deadly.
What is the danger of chickenpox for children and adults
First of all, flying. The contrast of varicens is so high that chickenpox was considered a purely childhood disease for a long time: the child practically had no chance to grow up without meeting with the infection. Fortunately, most people aged 1–12 tolerate chickenpox easily, and overgrown, acquire immunity for life.
But sometimes the disease can cause serious complications:
- Bacterial infection of the skin, soft tissues, bones, joints, up to blood poisoning. This happens if a child or an adult combs itching rashes and accidentally brings microbes to the wound.
- Dehydration. This dangerous state is associated with a high temperature, which is observed with chickenpox.
- Pneumonia.
- Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).
- Toxic shock syndrome.
But before being afraid of complications, it is worth making sure that it is about chickenpox.
What are the symptoms of chickenpox in children and adults
At the initial stage, it is almost impossible to recognize the disease. The chickenpox has a long incubation period: 2-3 weeks after infection, the virus does not make itself felt. Its first manifestations are similar to the flu:
- fever: temperature 38 ° C and above;
- headache;
- general malaise;
- aching muscles;
- loss of appetite;
- Sometimes nausea.
However, these symptoms are not required. Quite often small red dots immediately appear on the skin. At first they resemble mosquito bites, but for several hours they turn into bubbles filled with muddy liquid.
Mayoclinic.Org
The rash spreads throughout the body, sometimes capturing even the mucous membrane of the mouth and genitals.
In a day or two bubbles burst, their contents flow. Ospins dry and soon fall off, leaving no traces. But next to the disappeared there are new.
The rash lasts 4-8 days. All this time, a person remains contagious, although he feels good: the temperature and malaise pass for a maximum of the fourth day after the start of the active stage of the disease.
This happens with a light or normal flow of chickenpox. But there are other situations.
When to urgently consult a doctor or call an ambulance
Complications most often occur in those who are more or less than 1-12 years old, as well as in people with weakened immunity. To reduce the risks, you will need qualified medical care.
As soon as possible, consult a doctor if the sick:
- Never hurt a chickenpox and was not vaccinated from it;
- baby under the age of 1 year;
- pregnant woman;
- A child over 12 years old;
- has a diagnosis of cancer, HIV or AIDS;
- survived the transplantation of organs;
- Takes immunosuppressants or medicines based on steroids;
- suffers in fever for more than four days.
Call an ambulance immediately if:
- the temperature rises above 38.9 ° C and you cannot knock it down;
- Any areas of the skin under the rash become red and hot or it seems that under the skin of pus – this may indicate a bacterial infection;
- A person experiences difficulties in walking;
- It is difficult for him to turn his head: the neck seems wooden;
- there is frequent vomiting or severe abdominal pain;
- there is a strong cough or difficulty breathing;
- Bruises form under the rash (this is called hemorrhagic rash).
How to treat chickenpox
Chickenpox – virus. And, like most viruses, there is no specific treatment for it. Help of a sick person is reduced only to alleviating the main symptoms.
Fever and headache
Remember: paracetamol and nothing else! Popular painkillers and antipyretic products based on ibuprofen should not be taken. According to some reports, ibuprofen with chickenpox increases the frequency of complications in the form of skin infections.
Aspirin is completely contraindicated. In conjunction with Varicell-Zaster virus, it has a powerful toxic effect on the liver and brain (the so-called ray syndrome).
Itching
To relieve itching, the therapist can recommend an antihistamine to you. Given the insidiousness of the virus, in no case appoint it yourself!
You can also treat the skin with a skin with kalamin according to the instructions.
Scratches and wounds
In order not to scratch the skin and not bring infection into the wounds:
- Cut your nails as short as possible. If the baby is sick, put thin protective mittens on it.
- Wear clean free clothes.
- Change the underwear and bedding more of10.
It is not necessary to smear the rashes of the greenfish: the diamond green will not accelerate the ripening period of the bubbles. The color perhaps helps to mark pimples to track the moment when new.
Soreness in the mouth
If there are rashes on the oral mucosa, doctors recommend eating fruit ice cream without sugar. Cold will help relieve discomfort. Also try not to eat salty and spicy foods.
Possible complications
If the chickenpox may be dangerous to you, the doctor will prescribe medications to you that will help reduce the duration of the disease and reduce the risk of complications. This can be an antiviral agent, such as acyclovir, or immunoglobulin for intravenous administration. True, they will be effective only if you use them in the first 24 hours after the appearance of the rash.
If it comes to complications, serious means are used. Depending on which body has suffered, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics and more powerful antiviral drugs to you. Perhaps you have to go to the hospital.
How not to get chickenpox and not earn complications
A person becomes contagious 48 hours before the appearance of the rash and remains so, until all the bursting bubbles are covered with crust.
If contact with the sick thing happened, and you never hurt chickenpox, the only thing that theoretically can save you from infection is vaccination. Try to make it in the first 3-5 days after contact. Then the vaccine will have time to act and either prevent chickenpox, or make its current more easy.
It is worth vaccinating from chickenpox. And not only because the vaccination is tolerated by the body easier than a real disease. The case is the insidious property of Varcelell-Zaster virus.
If you once met with chickenpox, it will forever remain in your body, “hiding” in nerve cells. While the immunity is strong, the virus behaves decently. But with age or in stressful situations, when the body’s protective forces weaken, Varicell-Soster can again become active and cause extremely painful inflammation of some nerves. It is accompanied by rashes similar to chickenpox.
Since the nerve endings run perpendicular to the spine, the rash also takes the shape of horizontal stripes. This consequence of the meeting with chickenpox is called grunting herpes (lichen).
In addition to soreness, encircling lichen is fraught with numerous complications:
- prolonged postherpetic neuralgia, when severe constant pain continues in the place of the rash and after its disappearance;
- eye lesions with dangerous consequences for vision in general;
- paralysis of cranial and peripheral nerves;
- lesions of internal organs – pneumonia, hepatitis, meningoencephalitis ..
Blood vaccination can at the same time reduce the risk of girdle in more than 85%. And this is a good reason to think about vaccination.